ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · land · cell · bear · mug · arm · fine · wave

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. cell — in biology
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. land — to come down
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fine — high quality
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bear — the animal
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. land — ground
  20. mug — a face
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. cell — a phone
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com